Apparatus for massaging and the like



Feb. 16 1926.

Filed Feb. 25. 1924 P FISCHER ET Al.

APPARATUS FOR MASSAGING AND THE LIKE Wa s Patented Feb. 16,

UNITED sTArssf PATENT OFFICEY .V.F

PAUL FISCHER, on NEW YORK, AND WILLIAM anon-Ear, or HEMPs'rEAn'NEw YORK.

1 APPARATUS FOR MASSAGING AND THE LIKE.

Application filed. February 25, 1924. Serial No. 694,843.

To all whom it may comer-n:

Be it known that we, P.iUL Fisonnn, a citizen ofthe'United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, and WILLIAM ENGLERT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hempstead, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented an Imv provement in Apparatus for Massaging and the like, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to apparatus for massaging and the like.

One of theobjects thereof is to provide apparatus of the above nature practical and eflicient and capable of meeting the require ments of practical. use in a highly satisfactory manner. Another object is to provide apparatus of the above nature capable of being. maintained in a clean sanitary condi tion'. Other objects are to provide such apparatus wherein features of sanitation are attained and maintained in a convenient manner and at low cost Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated'in the following claims. 7

Inthe accompanying drawing in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a massaging. apparatus.

Figure 2 is an, end view looking from the 7 left side of Figure 1,v certain parts being omitted,

Figure 3" is aseotion taken substantially along the line of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an end view looking from the right of Figure 1, certain parts being omit- Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the device in operative position upon the hand,

and

Figure 6 is asectional view of certain parts detached from the device.

Similar reference characters refer to simi-' lar parts throughout the several views of the drawing. v

Referringto the drawing in detail there is shown an apparatus for massaging which is adapted to be mounted upon the back of the hand. AYframememberdO preferably of aluminum has formed thereon a casing 11 in which is contained mechanism adapted to give the apparatus a rapid vibratory motion. -The n1echanisin within the casing:

11 may be of any desired type, the details thereof being unimportant as relating to this invention, and it may be driven from any suitable source of power as by a flexible shaft connected at 12. Se'curedto the lower surface of the frame member 10' by any suit able means, are a pair of soft pads 13 and 14 which are preferably formed of sponge rubber. The device is adaptedv to be sup ported upon the hand substantially as shown in Figure 5 through these pads 13 and 1 1. The pad 13 is of substantially greater width than the pad 14:, the latter being adapted to rest upon the back of the hand adjacent the forward ends of the fingers, and the former being adapted to rest upon theback of the hand adjacentthe base of the fingers.

The device is retained in position upon the hand preferably by means of a pair of strips or straps, l5 and 16, of yielding fabric or similar suitable material which pass from the sides of the device around the face .of the hand opposite the respective pads, 13

and 14-. These straps 15 and 16 are preferably of elastic fabric and in conjunction with the pads 13 and 14 comfortably yet firmly hold thev device upon the hand so I that the entire hand par-takes of the rapid vibrat'orymovement. In operation this vibratory motion of the hand is utilized to massage the shin by applying the face of the hand to. the skin. In order' that the massaging may be done to the best advantage, it is apparent that the strips .15 and16 comeint'ocont-act withthe skin being massaged. Since 'th'ese strips' are preferably of fabric, they soon become dirty and un-sanitary and extremely objectionable when the device is repeatedly applied to the face. It

is therefore greatly to be desired and of I distinct practical advantage that these strips be frequently replaced or renewed, preferably after each massage.

Re i'ferri'ng now particularly to Figure 2, the'reis shown secured to the plate member 10, directly over the pad 13', a member '17 held in place, for example, by screws 18. Carried upon this member 17 is a box 19,

for example, of cardboard in which is contained a supply of the elastic strip forming the strap 15. As shown in Figure 6, this supply of material is folded up in the box 19 in any suitable manner preferably in accordion fashion as indicated. The end portion of the strip passes outwardly from the box 19 through a slot 20 therein and to a guide 21, preferably formed integrally with the member 17. This guide 21 is at its mouth preferably of just sufficient size to permit ready passage therethrough of the strip 15 and directs the latter downwardly in the direction to pass around the side and from thence across the face of the hand. At the other side of the device is provided a similar guide 22 which receives the end of the strip 15.

Pivoted upon the guide 2 is a toothed clamping member 23 which is urged by a spring at to bite into the strip 15 and prevent its pulling out from the box 19 and downwardly through the guide 21. Pivoted upon the guide 22 a toothed clamping member 25 which under the urge of a spring 26 prevents the end of the strip 15 from slipping backwardly through the guide 22. As will be seen, iowever, this clamping member 25 permits the strip 15 to be readily drawn upwardly through the guide 22. The clamping member 23 is provided with a projection or handle 27 by means of which it may be turned against the action of the spring to release the strip. Thus, by releasing the clamping member 23 the strip may be drawn out from the box 19 by pulling upwardly on the end portion indicated at 15 in Figure 2. Upon permitting the member 23 to again grip the strip, the latter is again securely held at each side of the device against pulling downwardly through the guides 21 and 22 and loosening about the hand. Preferably after each massage, the strip is pulled through as above de scribed until the used portion is replaced by a fresh part of the strip and the used portion is then cut off and thrown away. In this manner a clean sanitary strap is had holding the device in place upon the hand for each massage.

The box 19 is held in position upon the member 17 preferably by means of a pair of metal strap-like devices which pass around the box. These devices preferably comprise an upright part 28 formed integrally with the member 17 and an angular part 29 hinged to the plate 1'? as at 30 and connected to the part 28 as by a spring catch 31. By releasing the catch 31 and swinging the members 29 about their pivots 30 the box 19 is released and a new one may be conveniently substituted in its place.

As shown in Figure 4 the strip 16 is provided with a reserve supply contained within a box 32 and is controlled and fed as required in substantially the same manner as is the strip 15 above described. The same reference characters have been applied to the parts controlling the strip 16 as to those controlling the strip 15 and their operation will be understood from the foregoing description.

From the above it will be seen that there is herein provided an apparatus which attains the objects of this invention and that the same embodies many practical and useful advantages. A yielding comfortable retaining means is provided for securing the device upon the hand so that the hand is not numbed by the use of the apparatus. The soft fabric straps permit of the use of the entire face of the hand for the massaging operation without danger of injury to the skin being massaged. Furthermore, the device is conveniently always maintained in a wholly sanitary condition. These advantages are achieved without appreciably increasing the bulk of the apparatus and interfering with its ease of manipulation.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Vi e claim as our invention:

1. In apparatus for massaging and the like, in combination, a driven device adapted to be supported upon the back of the hand, a reserve strip of yielding material carried upon said device, means at one side of said device for guiding the end por tion of said strip toward the face of the hand, and means at the other side of said device adapted to receive the end of said strip passing about the face of the hand to retain said device in position thereon.

- 2. In apparatus for massaging and the like, in combination, a driven device adapted to be supported upon the back of the hand, a reserve strip of yielding material carried upon said device, the end portion thereof passing from one side of said device around the face of the hand tothe other side thereof, means at said first side restraining said strip from slipping in a direction away from said coil, and means at said second side restraining said strip from slipping in the opposite direction.

3. In apparatus for massaging and the like, in combination, a driven vibratory device adapted to be supported upon the back of the hand, a container mounted upon said device, a strip of yielding material in said container, the end portion thereof pass ing therefrom at one side of said device around the face of the hand to the other side of said device to secure said device. upon the hand, and means clamping said the two strip at either side of said device and adapted to permit feeding of said strip from said container and around the face of the hand. p

4-. In apparatus for massaging and the like, in combination, a driven-vibratory device adapted to be supported upon the back of the hand, a container mounted upon said device, a strip of yielding material within said container, the end portion thereof passing therefrom at one side of said device, means at said side adapted to reserve said strip andrestrain the same from moving in a direction away from said container, means for releasing said restraining means, and means at the opposite side of said device adapted to receive the end of said strip passing aroundthe face of the hand, said last means being adapted to restrain said strip from moving backwardly around the hand toward said first restraining means.

5. In apparatus for massaging and the like, in combination, a vibratory device adapted to be supported upon the back of the hand comprising a substantially flat frame member having formed upon the upper surface thereof and integral therewith a housing containinga driven vibrating mechanism, said device including a yielding cushion secured to the lower surface of said fiat frame member and interposed therebetween and the back of the hand, a transverse metal strip removably secured to the upper surface of said fiat frame member above said cushion, the two end portions thereof overhanging sides of said frame member and each being provided with gripping teeth, and a renewable strip of yielding fabric extending around the face of the hand from one end of said'transverse February, 1924.

adapted to be supported upon the back of the hand comprising a substantially flat frame member having formed upon the up- :1

per surface thereof and integral therewith a housing containing a driven vibrating mechanism, said device including a pair of yielding cushions secured to the lower surface of said flat frame member and interposed therebetween and the back of the hand, a. pair of transverse metal strips removably and independently secured to the upper surface of said fiat frame member, one on either side of said integral housing and one above each of said yielding cushions, the two end portions of each of said removable metal strips overhanging the two sides of said frame member and each of said endportions being provided with gripping teeth, and a painofrenewable strips of yielding fabric extending around the face of the hand between the opposite ends'of said respective metal strips, said teeth being adapted to bite into the end portions of said strips to prevent their slipping around the face of the hand in either direction and to removably hold them in position to urge .the hand against said pair of yielding cushions. I

- In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification this 18th day of PAUL FrsoHEn. WM. ENGLERT. 

